The Oak Park and River Forest girls soccer team is off to a 2-1 start this spring.
The Huskies opened with a pair of shutouts: 8-0 at Shepard, March 12 and 6-0 at Romeoville, March 14, before losing 1-0 to Lincoln-Way East in a Windy City RAM Classic quarterfinal, March 16.
“I’m excited about the potential of this team because of our adaptability,” said first-year OPRF coach Lauren Zallis. “We have a lot of athletes who can play multiple positions for us. When I say adaptability, I am also referring to the soccer IQ of this team. They have a natural talent for learning the game and are not afraid to step into challenging scenarios for the betterment of the team.”
OPRF returns eight players from last year’s team that finished 8-9-1: senior goalkeeper Jackie Bollinger; senior defender Kiera Kleidon; senior midfielder Gwen Lopez; junior forwards Mallie Cassel and Genevieve Simkowski; and junior midfielders Addison Bliss, Abby Cockerill, and Evie Derhammer.
The Huskies’ top newcomers are sophomore midfielders Maisee Champaneri, Tea Dassinger, Ana Mrotzek, and Lola Zarate.
Cassel leads OPRF with five goals, with Mrotzek netting three and Dassinger and Simkowski two apiece. Cockerill leads in assists with three, and Mrotzek has two.
The Huskies face Fenwick and St. Ignatius in non-conference play. In the West Suburban Silver, Zallis sees Lyons Township and York as the top teams. However, she also feels it’s not who you’re playing but how you’re playing.
“Soccer is an interesting game because of its unpredictability,” Zallis said. “I think whoever is playing their best soccer at the time of the playoffs will have the greatest advantage.
She wants OPRF to be a program based on quickness and aggressiveness, and she emphasizes possession. To do so, a culture that stresses work ethic needs to get created.
“We want to play a style of soccer where we’re the protagonists of our story,” Zallis said. “We want a competitive environment that is growth-oriented, but also based on family. The consistency of that culture will be paramount to achieving those goals.”
Fenwick’s experience
Fenwick has had an excellent two-year run, finishing fourth in the IHSA Class 2A state tournament in 2022 and advancing to the supersectional last spring.
This year, the Friars move up to Class 3A. But with seven players returning, plus having regained the services of an important 2022 player, fourth-year head coach Craig Blazer is excited.
“The team has added a lot of quality soccer players to improve our overall depth,” he said. “The girls have great chemistry within the four classes.”
Senior co-captain and forward Grace Kapsch leads Fenwick (8-10-5 last season). She earned All-State honors with 17 goals and six assists.
The Friars’ other captains are senior midfielders Caroline Henige and Fiona Roche. Henige, a Marquette University commit, who spent last year playing club.
Other returnees are senior defender Gabi Kapusta; senior midfielder Susie Shank; junior midfielder Keira Kapsch; sophomore midfielder Mary Brunick; and sophomore defender Lola Martinez. Newcomers include freshman midfielder Coco Braithwaite; freshman goalkeeper Mimi Carvalho; and freshman forward Bella Gray.
“Right now, we’re just interested in training and preparing from half to half,” Blazer said. “We should know a lot more after the next two weeks.”
Henige made her Fenwick return in grand style, scoring three goals in a 5-1 victory over visiting Wheaton St. Francis, March 12. Kapsch added two goals.
At Deerfield, March 16, the Friars (1-0-1) battled the host Warriors to a 0-0 draw. Carvalho made five saves to get the clean sheet.
Fenwick perennially contends for the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference title along with several other schools, and this season should be no different.
“There’s more parity this year. The top teams are De La Salle, Loyola Academy, Mother McAuley, and St. Ignatius,” Blazer said. As the Friars continue to incorporate their younger players into their system, he hopes communication keeps improving.
“Our objective is to have a good connection with one another,” he said. “Trying to be prepared and make the most of the moment. Being around this group and seeing their improvement is very rewarding.”
